In the 1910s, he was a vice president at the Waldorf System lunchroom chain in New England and, in 1921, he established his own quick-lunch Bickford's restaurants in New York.

[2][1] A letter with a company stock offering stated, "The lunchrooms operated are of the self-service type and serve a limited bill of fare, which makes possible the maximum use of equipment and a rapid turnover.

As their expansion continued with drive-in restaurants and associated locations in Florida, Pennsylvania and California, they ultimately opened 85 branches.

In the 1930s, union conflicts resulted in vandalism: Bickford's son, Harold, was in charge of expanding their cafeteria chain into Florida and California.

[5] Bickford's and its Southeast subsidiary M&M Cafeterias and West Coast subsidiary Foster's Cafeterias had trouble staying in business because of rising labor costs, competition from the non-union labor at fast food restaurants, and rising crime, which kept people home after dark.

The Woburn location has had a new bar recently installed and they plan on using it once current coronavirus restrictions are lifted.

The Foster's Lunch System, Ltd. also operated the Moar's Cafeterias,[8][9] in Hillsdale Shopping Center at 70 Hillsdale Plaza in San Mateo[10][5] and 33 Powell Street,[11] just north of the cable car turntable[12] with a large mosaic[13] by Benny Bufano on one wall.

Other members of the Beat Generation could be found at night in the New York Bickford's: Allen Ginsberg when he was living in San Francisco liked to go to the large Foster's cafeteria on the north side of Sutter between Powell and Stockton.